


Second Choice

by AmberBrown



Series: Earning Their Keep [30]
Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 11:58:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17243831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmberBrown/pseuds/AmberBrown
Summary: Aramis only has half the information. D'Artagnan has to put his lover straight, his method is quite energetic.





	Second Choice

**Author's Note:**

> If you have not read the other stories in the series all you need to know is that Aramis and d'Artagnan are in an established relationship.
> 
> This was inspired by a comment that 'Lady_Neve' made on one of the previous stories in this series...
> 
> 'I won't ever see Aramis as the second choice; although, Constance is the safer choice even though it is adultery. Was this a clue for the future--Aramis feeling he is secondary?'
> 
> ...it got me thinking and this is the result. Aramis gets a little reassurance from d'Artagnan.

Marc, you are hopeless,’ admonished Aramis goodnaturedly. 

The cadet grinned as he picked up the ball and tried to feed it into the end of the musket again. Aramis shook his head with a smile, the young man was trying but had clearly had too much to drink the previous night. 

‘If Treville catches you in this state again he will have you on stable duty for a month,’ said Aramis before giving the young man a playful shove. 

He wandered away from the cadets to give them a chance to practice without his watchful and sometimes reproachful gaze on them. He sat down on the ground, his legs stretched out in front of him enjoying the shade the wall behind him provided. The day was warm, most of the cadets, like him, and stripped off their doublets and were working in their shirt sleeves. Aramis watched the men critically. Now that Marc was not being watched so closely, he had relaxed and was almost loading the musket quickly enough to keep up with the others. When he sobered up properly, he would be fine, thought Aramis. 

‘D’Artagnan,’ Constance’s voice trilled.

Aramis turned his head slightly so eavesdrop on the conversation he suspected was about to happen on the other side of the wall. He knew his lover was in the stables checking if any of the tack needed replacing, a tedious job, but one that d’Artagnan with his keen eye for detail, was good at. 

There was a rustle of skirts, as d’Artagnan swooped his other lover into a kiss. Aramis could hear Constance giggle. He smiled as he imagined them locked together in an embrace. 

‘What brings you here,’ said d’Artagnan after a few seconds.

‘I’ve just been talking to Bonacieux,’ she replied. 

It always amused Aramis that Constance never referred to her husband by his first name. He wondered if she did when they were alone. He could not imagine the two of them alone. 

‘He’s been given a job that will take him away for three months. It’s going to make him a lot of money. He spent ages going on about it…’

Constance paused. Aramis guessed what had happened. D’Artagnan’s expression would have changed from the smile he always had for her to one of sadness. If they were going away for three months, d’Artagnan would not see her and that would make him sad. Aramis could not help a slight smile as he planned ways he would keep his lover occupied throughout the time that Constance would be away.

‘What’s the matter?’ Constance asked.

It took d’Artagnan a few seconds to respond.

‘I’ll miss you. Three months...It’ll be an eternity.’

Constance laughed, ‘I’m not going with him,’ she said.

Aramis could imagine d’Artagnan’s face lighting up again at the news. 

‘I’m to stay here. He didn’t think that I, who am obviously a weak woman in his eyes.’

Aramis guessed Constance was shaking her head.

‘I would not be able to cope with the hardship of travelling and being away from home...he’s such an annoying man.’

There was another pause before d’Artagnan spoke again.

‘So you’re going to be on your own for three months…’

‘Three months.’

Aramis wondered where the conversation was going.

Constance said, ‘you can stay as much as you like.’

D’Artagnan replied, ‘I want to stay for the whole time. I want to wake up with you every day. Three months.’

Aramis had to stop himself from saying anything. He did not want the two lovers to know he had heard them. He scrambled up and walked away, he needed to get away from everyone. He moved to a corner of the training ground that was not overlooked. Aramis realised he was breathing fast. He could not quite believe what he had just heard d’Artagnan say. 

D’Artagnan wanted to be with Constance and wake up with her every day.

Was he not to see his lover for three months? 

Would d’Artagnan still want him after that time?

Aramis was reminded of something Porthos had said a few weeks before, that he was the second choice. Surely he was reading too much into the situation?

The words from Porthos had been said in jest, but they had returned to the forefront of his mind a few times since. Aramis had dismissed the idea as silly. But now.

Aramis was not sure what he should do.

MMMM

D’Artagnan climbed the stairs to Aramis’ rooms. He pushed the door open, he smiled at the thought that he was not expected to knock. Aramis had told him a long time ago that he was welcome in his rooms any time. 

He had missed his lover at the garrison. He knew Aramis was supposed to be with some of the cadets fine-tuning their musketry but when he went to find him Aramis had already left. Marc had told d’Artagnan that Aramis had walked off a few minutes before the session was supposed to finish. 

D’Artagnan would have liked to pass on his news before he turned up for their liaison, but he knew Aramis would not mind hearing about his day. He would be happy to hear that d’Artagnan was going to get plenty of time to see Constance over the next three months. He often said it was a shame she was tied to her slightly oppressive husband and had little time to be with d’Artagnan. 

Aramis was sat at the table, a bottle of wine already open, the glass he must have poured for himself already empty. There was no second glass waiting for d’Artagnan. Aramis looked up as he entered but did not smile or rise to meet him with a kiss. D’Artagnan wondered why but did not say anything he was more interested in passing on his happy news. 

‘I saw Constance today,’ he said as he undid his weapons belt and hung it on the hook behind the door, next to Aramis’.

‘Oh,’ said Aramis rather noncommittally. 

‘She told me that her husband is going away...for three months.’

D’Artagnan could not contain his excitement.

‘She’s not going with him. Three months, Aramis. Three.’

Aramis looked at him but did not respond. D’Artagnan grabbed himself a glass and poured himself some wine, before topping up Aramis’ glass.

‘How were the cadets today? I heard that some of them were out late last night drinking. I bet there were some delicate heads on the firing range? Did you make them work extra hard?’

D’Artagnan knew that both Aramis and Porthos took great delight in tormenting cadets when it came to training the ones who were suffering from too much wine. 

‘They are a reasonable group. They will make fair Musketeers.’

‘Treville wasn’t pleased when I gave him the list of things that needed replacing in the stables,’ continued d’Artagnan. ‘I was half expecting him to make me go and check the tack again, or get me to show him all the things that needed fixing and replacing…’

‘It’s expensive,’ remarked Aramis.

D’Artagnan was a little put off by Aramis’ short responses. His lover did not seem particularly interested in what d’Artagnan had to say. Usually, when they had not been together for a couple of days, they spent a bit of time chatting about what had gone on. If Aramis was keen to get on with other things, he would have already taken him off into the bedroom or pulled him over to the couch. Aramis was staring at his wine glass.

‘Is something wrong?’ d’Artagnan finally asked. 

‘Nothing is wrong. I’m just surprised you bothered coming around, that’s all.’

‘But we arranged to see each other today. We’re not working tomorrow morning, so I can stay the night and we can sleep in together. I was looking forward to it…’

‘Were you?’

‘Yes. What’s that matter?’

‘Since I shan’t be seeing you for three months, I thought you wouldn’t need to see me tonight. I am the second choice after all.’

‘What?’

‘You’d rather wake up with Constance every morning. Why would you want to spend the night with me tonight?’

‘Aramis,’ started d’Artagnan. 

Aramis was looking at him, an angry expression on his face. His words had been unusually spiteful. D’Artagnan realised his lover had overheard his conversation with Constance earlier in the day. 

‘Has Bonacieux already gone? Why aren’t you round there already?’

‘It’s not like that and you know it-’

‘I know I’m the second choice. Off you go, I always knew I would get left behind. I was a fool to think anything else.’

‘I can’t believe you’re even saying this,’ said d’Artagnan pushing his chair back and standing up. ‘Maybe if you had eavesdropped to the end of our conversation you wouldn’t be saying it.’

Aramis looked away, grabbing his wine glass and draining it at the same time. D’Artagnan was close to yelling at his lover. How could Aramis say such things?

‘After all we’ve been through, you’re still worried that I’ll pick her over you. I love you both. Why can’t you just understand that?’

Not wishing to say anything else d’Artagnan walked back to the door. He grabbed his weapons belt and wrenched the door open. He walked out, closing the door firmly behind him and going back down the stairs and away. 

MMMM

Aramis was breathing hard, he was angry. Angry that it had taken him so long to realise he was just a stand-in for Constance. He loved Constance and bore her no ill will but d’Artagnan should not have been using him to pass the time until he could have her…

No.

Aramis looked at the bottle of wine and realised he had drunk more than should have done. He put his glass down and leaned forward in his chair, rubbing his hands over his face. He had just argued with d’Artagnan. Why had he done that?

D’Artagnan had done nothing wrong except want to be with his lover. The only thing d’Artagnan had done wrong was to be in a position to have two lovers. One of whom was being stupidly jealous. D’Artagnan did not deserve him as a lover. He did not deserve d’Artagnan as a lover. How many times had d’Artagnan saved his life or nursed him back to health when he had been injured? They had been there for each other countless times. 

Aramis shook his head, he pushed himself up to stand and followed his lover. He needed to catch him up and apologies. He hoped it was not too late. 

Out on the street he walked in the direction d’Artagnan would have gone. He guessed his lover was heading for Constance’s home. D’Artagnan probably thought he would be more welcome there. Aramis hated himself for what he had said he regretted it straight away. He had allowed the feelings to eat him up. 

Would it have really mattered if d’Artagnan spent three months waking up with Constance? He would still see the man every day at the garrison. Aramis should not have been begrudging his lover time with Constance.

The street was busy as he made his way along the road, he had not bothered to put his doublet on or his weapons so was not easily recognisable as a Musketeer. People did not move out of the way for him. He sighed. D’Artagnan would probably have already reached Constance’s. He was not sure if he would be welcome there. Constance would probably be annoyed with him as well, and he would deserve it.

Several hands grabbed at him, pulling him over to the side. Again, Aramis was annoyed, but this time it was due to not being vigilant to what was going on around him. He was a soldier he should have been paying attention, not getting himself worked up by his own idiocy. 

The men who had grabbed him shoved him against the wall of a house. He was hidden from view by an outside stairway. One of the men put a knife to his throat, the blade pressing into his flesh. Aramis looked at the man who was stood close enough for Aramis to smell his breath. One of the other men was running his hands over Aramis’ breeches and into his pockets. 

Aramis was even more annoyed with himself for allowing himself to be the victim of a robbery. The blade at his neck prevented him from fighting back, he just had to allow the men to take the few coins he had in his pockets. He just hoped they would stop at searching his pockets.

MMMM

D’Artagnan walked briskly away from his lover's rooms. Aramis was so narrow-minded at times, thought d’Artagnan. The man was always so worried about losing him. The idiotic man had not listened to him. 

He knew that Aramis would calm down, realise he had been hasty and apologies. It was not the first time Aramis had acted with jealousy. D’Artagnan could understand. He could, to a certain extent, get away with his affair with Constance. They could be seen in public together and even show affection for one another. But poor Aramis could only show affection behind closed doors, away from prying eyes. It was frustrating for both of them.

D’Artagnan stopped walking away. He shook his head. He was not going to let Aramis be alone getting more worked up. He would probably end up drinking too much and get himself told off when he got to the garrison the following afternoon. D’Artagnan decided he needed to have a few words with his lover and show him that he was not the second choice.

He walked back towards his lover's rooms trying to work out what he would say. Would Aramis still be worked up or would he have realised he had been stupid with his assumptions?

He noticed a group of men at the side of the road. Four men surrounding a five who was pushed against the wall, a knife to his throat. The road was busy, so the ongoing robbery had not been noticed or was being ignored by the people walking by. 

D’Artagnan drew his gun as he got closer. The men were not armed other than with daggers. He was in uniform and prepared to see them off. D’Artagnan was a little shocked to see the man they had pinned to the wall was Aramis who looked more annoyed than scared of the encounter. If his life were not in danger d’Artagnan would probably have laughed at his lover's predicament.

‘Let him go,’ he said firmly as he pointed his gun at the head of one of the men.

They looked at him. Two of the men ran off without a second glance. The man with the knife and the fourth man backed off a few paces before turning and hastening away, losing themselves in the crowd of people.

D’Artagnan paid them no more attention. He looked at Aramis who had pushed himself off the wall and was looking back at him. Aramis looked contrite. D’Artagnan guessed his lover had been coming after him when he was overpowered by the would-be robbers. 

Before Aramis could speak, d’Artagnan stepped forward and grabbed him firmly by the arm and walked him back towards his rooms. No one paid them any attention. Aramis allowed d’Artagnan to guide him through the door and up the stairs. 

D’Artagnan noticed that Aramis was giving him worried glances every so often. D’Artagnan was pleased, he wanted Aramis worried. He wanted his idiotic lover to know just how annoyed and angry he was.

MMMM

Perhaps he had finally gone too far? His stupid jealousy had pushed his lover away. Was d’Artagnan going to tell him that he did not want to see him any more? Was this to be the last time they were alone in his rooms together?

‘D’Artag-’

Aramis was stopped from making his apology. D’Artagnan pushed him back firmly into the wall holding him there stopping any further words by kissing him. Aramis was stunned, he did not know how to react. He did not push his lover away but equally did not kiss d’Artagnan back. 

D’Artagnan stopped the kiss and leaned back slightly but did not let Aramis escape his grasp. 

‘You be quiet. You do not get to speak.’

Aramis did kiss d’Artagnan back the second time the younger man leaned in. He was not sure what was going on, but he was not going to stop his lover. D’Artagnan moved his hands to Aramis’ waist and started to pull his shirt out from his breeches. Aramis tried to move to reciprocate but found his hands grabbed and pushed back against the wall for a few seconds. 

D’Artagnan pushed Aramis’ shirt up and over his head before pushing him back into the wall firmly as he continued to kiss him for a few more seconds.

Aramis snaked his arms around d’Artagnan in an attempt to hold him closer but again found himself being manoeuvred by his lover.

‘I am really annoyed with you,’ said d’Artagnan as he pinned Aramis to the wall, their fingers interlaced.

D’Artagnan pushed his groin forward into Aramis who could not help gasping at the forcefulness. 

‘You need to be taught a lesson…’

D’Artagnan knelt in front of him and started to undo his breeches.

‘D’Artagnan, I-’

‘Be quiet or I will gag you,’ said d’Artagnan firmly. ‘You need to know what you would be missing if you let me go. You need to learn that I love you. You need to know that I have no intention of going anywhere. So shut up, and do as you’re told for once.’

Aramis closed his mouth. He watched his lover push the leather of his breeches apart and pull the strings of his underclothes loose. Aramis had been aroused since d’Artagnan had first pushed him into the wall and kissed him. His cock was already hard. D’Artagnan would probably not have to do much to make him come. 

D’Artagnan took Aramis’ cock into his mouth and went to work. Aramis put his head back against the wall, concentrating on not letting his knees buckle. The sudden attention he was getting was leaving him struggling to remain standing. D’Artagnan made use of every trick he had learned since they had been together. A mixture of things that he had been taught and some things he had worked out for himself. The man knew exactly where to touch him and for how long. He knew when to tease him to draw the moment out and when to work quickly. 

Aramis came with a satisfied hum, arching his back at the same time. D’Artagnan released him and stood up before leaning in for another kiss. Aramis could taste himself on d’Artagnan’s lips. D’Artagnan supported him for a few seconds until he was sure Aramis would not sink to the floor.

Without a word, d’Artagnan grabbed him around the waist and walked him through to the bedroom before pushing him back onto the bed. He went about pulling off Aramis’ boots off him, before stripping him completely, pulling his breeches, underclothes and stockings off in one go. 

Aramis tried to sit up to grab his lover to pull him down on top of him, but d’Artagnan was having none of it. He pushed Aramis away with a warning glare before he started to shed his own clothes. 

‘You only heard half the conversation earlier,’ said d’Artagnan as he pulled off his own boots. ‘You obviously had drawn your own conclusion and gone off in a huff before Constance could berate me.’

Aramis opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it when d’Artagnan gave him another glare.

‘Constance reminded me that I have you as well. I love you as much as I love her. In an ideal world, I would be as open with my love for you as I can be with her. But I can’t. We both know that.’

Aramis was starting to enjoy his telling off. He had been enjoying it for a while but now he was really enjoying it. He kept his expression neutral. He did not want d’Artagnan to be put off with his reprimand. 

‘You need to learn not to jump to conclusions. And I hope that I am giving you a lesson in what you would be missing if you threw our relationship away.’

MMMM

D’Artagnan had not really planned to kiss Aramis so firmly when they had reached his rooms. He had not planned on dealing with his hard cock right there and then. None of what he was doing was planned. He just knew he needed to show Aramis what he would be losing if they were to end their relationship. Aramis needed to be reminded occasionally, needed to be reminded that he meant everything to d’Artagnan. His lover’s insecurities were understandable, but it still annoyed d’Artagnan.

Aramis had tried to speak a few times but was not watching him without responding. D'Artagnan suspected Aramis was actually enjoying himself, but d’Artagnan was not going to stop his pretence of annoyance. 

Once he had stripped, he stalked towards Aramis who moved back on the bed slightly to give him room. D’Artagnan was in charge of the proceedings and Aramis was willing to do as he was told. He pushed Aramis onto his back and after grabbing the oil pushed Aramis’ leg up. Maintaining eye contact he oiled his fingers up and gently pushed into his lover. 

Aramis could not hide his enjoyment of the proceedings when his cock was giving him away. D’Artagnan had to hide a smile as he continued his ministrations, making sure to work the spot in his lover that dealt him the most pleasure. 

When he had finished, he paused. He tilted his head with an unasked question. He was giving Aramis his only chance to make a decision during the telling off he was getting. Aramis paused for a moment before twisting around to lie on his front then pushing himself up onto his knees. 

D’Artagnan suspected his lover had deliberately chosen that position so that he did not have to face him. D’Artagnan was glad, he had been struggling to hide his enjoyment of the proceedings for some time. It was still an unwritten rule between them that Aramis only faced away from him during sex if he wanted to, the previous negative experiences of sex in that position had been chased away to a certain extent but neither man wanted Aramis to have flashbacks. 

Aramis allowed D’Artagnan to rearrange him slightly as he lined himself up, he pushed into his lover slowly. Teasing him. Aramis tried to push back to meet him but d’Artagnan would not allow it, he wanted to draw the moment out.

As he slowly built up a rhythm, he reached for his lover's hard cock. Aramis gasped, unable to hide the pleasure he was receiving. Unable to hide this enjoyment.

They both came within seconds of each other. Aramis was breathing hard as d’Artagnan pulled out of him, they both collapsed onto the bed. It took a few seconds for Aramis to muster the energy to push himself over onto his side. He looked d’Artagnan in the eyes, d’Artagnan could see the apology there. 

D’Artagnan pushed Aramis back onto the bed, he kissed him on the lips.

‘I am still…’

He kissed him on the neck, Aramis sighed.

‘...very…’

He lay a line of kisses across Aramis’ chest brushing his nipples as he did so. Aramis arched his back into the touch.

‘...angry.’

D’Artagnan looked up at Aramis, who was watching him. He was still breathing hard after their activity. Aramis tried not to grin when he spoke.

‘If I said I wasn’t sorry...would you continue to be angry with me?’

Aramis tilted his head slightly as he waited for d’Artagnan to respond.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> Dear reader, I have another idea, but this is a very dark one. It is really quite horrible and evil. Have I been horrible to them too much do you think? Would you read another horrible dark evil story involving our favourite Musketeers? (They will recover at the end of course - I'm not planning on killing them off, just hurting them).


End file.
